SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
From 7 to 11 September 2026, the SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Ms. Sampan Panjarat, together with the Policy and Program Coordinator, participated in the 37th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI37) at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. COFI37 served as a global forum for high-level delegates of FAO Members, international organizations, regional fishery bodies, and civil society organizations to review the program of work of FAO in fisheries and aquaculture and international issues related and to provide guidance on priorities for future work.
On 7 September 2026, before the official opening of the Session, FAO organized a High-Level Special Event to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), featuring special addresses by invited speakers.
The COFI37 reviewed FAO’s program of work in fisheries and aquaculture, considered international issues of common concern, and guided priorities for future work. Key agenda items included the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2024, the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the outcomes of the FAO Sub-Committees on Aquaculture, Fish Trade, and Fisheries Management, and recent developments on issues such as combat IUU fishing, impact of climate change, and the international instruments, such as CITES, WTO on Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, BBNJ Agreement among others.
SEAFDEC’s participation in COFI37 provided an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration with FAO and other international partners, while facilitating the exchange of experiences and perspectives between Southeast Asia and the global fisheries communities on fisheries and aquaculture development, including fisheries stock assessment, combating IUU fishing, small-scale fisheries, sustainable aquaculture, and international fisheries trade, marine biodiversity; and the impacts of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture.
Through its engagement, SEAFDEC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Member Countries in advancing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development and ensuring that Southeast Asian perspectives and priorities are reflected at the global platform.
